1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to means for use in transferring a pourable substance from one container into another.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
A preliminary patentability search conducted in class 141, subclasses 337, 338, and 391, and in class 222, subclass 567 produced the following patents which may be relevant to the present invention:
Martinsen, U.S. Pat. No. 2,580,811, discloses a funnel formed with an arcuate cut-out portion to semicircumferentially engage a projecting pouring spout of a container. A spring is provided to clamp the funnel securely into engagement with the pouring spout of the container.
Klygis, U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,447, discloses a plastic container spout for mounting on the outer surface of a container and slidably movable between a substantially juxtaposed retraced position and an extended pouring position. The spout has a body portion in the general shape of a trapezoid and has a band made integral with the body portion for encircling the container.
Klygis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,805, discloses a plastic pouring spout for mounting on the outer surface of a container and slidably movable between a substantially juxtaposed retracted position and an extended pouring position. The spout has a body portion and a band made integral with the body portion for encircling the container. The body portion can be partially separated from the band when in the extended position and the opposite side edges thereof brought together to form a funnel-like portion.
Kaufman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,222, discloses a collapsible funnel having a body portion and a movable dam forming an integral part of the body portion located adjacent a fluid inlet for the funnel to prevent fluid from spilling out the inlet end of the funnel. The dam is in the form of a movable wedge-like member.
Greenhow et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,340, discloses a pouring spout for the threaded neck of a container. The pouring spout includes a rectangular sheet of plastic having first and second edges, a filler neck opening intermediate the first and second edges, and a trough that is formed by securing a portion of the first edge to a portion of the second edge.
Bourbon, U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,497, discloses a pouring spout for oil drums. The pouring spout includes an attachment for being secured to the neck of the oil drum in a direction generally transverse to the axis of the opening through the neck. The pouring spout includes a chute connected to the attachment by an articulation zone. The chute is provided with catch-type assembly members which cooperate with complimentary members carried by the attachment and which together ensure the maintenance and immobilization of the chute in a direction differing from that of the attachment.
Hess et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,915, discloses a disposable funnel defined by a generally frusto-conical tubular sheet material body having longitudinally opposite ends defining openings of two different sizes, at least one bond line between the opposite ends defining a longitudinal bonded seam of the body, and a torn edge along the longitudinal bonded seams along which the funnel is torn from other generally identical funnels of a funnel sheet in planar, folded or rolled-up form.
Cowles, U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,707, discloses an adjustable, disposable funnel including a sheet of flexible material which may be hand formed into a selected, conic, funnel shape. Coupling means such as an adhesive strip is provided for holding the sheet in the funnel shape.
It is well known that an aid of some type is often needed to prevent spillage when liquids, powders, or other pourable substances are poured from one container into another container. This is especially true for pouring oil or the like into the crankcase opening of a motor vehicle such as an automobile, truck, tractor, or the like.
Conventional funnels are typically constructed as a rigid, inverted cone-shaped member and are widely used for pouring oil or the like from a container (oil can or bottle) into the crankcase opening of a motor vehicle or the like. However, since rigid, cone-shaped funnels take up considerable storage room and often drip oil and the like long after they have been used, such funnels are often not stored in automobiles and cannot be located when needed. Many of the above identified patents disclose various attempts to provide funnels which require very little storage room and which can be disposed of after use.
In addition, oil containers have recently been designed out of extruded plastic with an elongated pour spout. While such oil containers help prevent spillage when oil is poured therefrom, some spillage still frequently occurs.
Nothing in the above patents or prior art discloses or suggests the present invention. More specifically, none of the above patents disclose or suggest a dispensing means including, in general, a flexible tube having an opened first end for being positioned on the pour spout of a first container, having an opened second end for being positioned adjacent the inlet opening of a second container, and having an opened interior extending between the opened first end and the opened second end for allowing the contents of the first container to be poured through the opened interior of the tube from the pour spout of the first container into the inlet opening of the second container; and securing means for securing the opened first end of the tube on the pour spout of the first container.